Apparatus for the manufacture of roofing tiles



Dec. 11, 1928- 1,695,132

F. A. WILSON APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ROOFING TILES Filed July 27', 1926 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 11, 1928. a

I v FREDERICK ALFREn-wI soN, 0F LONDQ ENGL ND API 'ARAT US r03 THE-MANUFACTURE or 'Room vs TILES. I

Application filed:iii1y,27, 192,:Seria1 no, 125,'1e'.1 '}..m Great Britain J'u 27, 1 925.

I This invention relatesto roofing tiles. and morel'particularly to tiles ofthe, kind known as cement tiles,fmade from a semi plastic mixture of cementitious materials, adapted to dry and harden withoutthe applicationof heat. i

The invention has for its principal object to provide for molding roofingtiles in lengths comprisinga plurality of tiles, each length of tiling beingdivided up into sections before removal from the'mold. I a

The invention has also for itsobject to pro vide an improved construction of molding plate or pallet, which 1n:add1t1on 'tOfOlllilng .the bottom of the mold, comprises also the ends of the latter., v i i A further vobject ofth'e invention is to cause the semi-plastic mixture to settle down in the nioldiby the application of a jigging motion which lifts the opposite ends of the mold alternatelywith interveningpauses or dwells.

The invention also 'includes certain constructional features and arrangements as hereafter set forth. r i '1 attain the above mentioned objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompany: ing drawings, in-Which: 7 Figures 1 and 2 represent my'improvedtile molding machine, inlplan and in elevation respectively;

V Figure 3 is a fragmentary 'vieW insection' on line 3 3 of Figure '1 andjon' a larger scale. Figure l-is a transverse section of the'mold ing'niachine on line of Figure 1,' also on a largerfs'cale' I l Y v "Figure 5 is an. end View of Figure 1, seenv from the right, also on a larger scale.

' videdupinto sections.

Figure 6 is a diagram explanatoryofthe useof a color boX- for carrying the knives by Which the lengths of molded tiling are I di Figure 7 is aside elevation of the-preferred form of'color box withthe dividing knives secured thereto; 7 y t Figure 8 is a similar View of-lamodifica' tion hereafter described.

Figure 9 is a detail in cross pallet plate with section of a Figure 10 represents a stack of pallets as, arranged for dryingthe molded'tiles.

Referring particularly to Figures {'1' and 2, the machine comprises a support ii -the form of an open-topped' table, A havinglegs A. and longitudinal members A the'latter being transversely -as surface. being sions to'i orm on the upper side corresponding v raised portions I)" Whichproduce the customing .lrnives (as described later).

transverse section' of 1 the V r height corresponds with the thickness'ofthe transverse ribs formed in a v,tegral therewith i connected together cross members 9, which i carry the Weight of themold. Each machine 1 i requires a numberloflpallets or molding plates, for example 'fourto six, thousand 'de-' pending'upon the output of tiles andyu'pon-i the length of time required for drying;

The pallets or molding plates a are of.

stamped metal, of Width correspondingftothe-length of a single tile, and of len'gth suifi cien't toaccommodat'e a convenient-number oftiles laid side by side"; inftlie drawings the length ofthep'allet correspondsto the Width,

of sir; single tiles. Theplat e amaybecurved;

shown in Figure 4,]1ts under '7 i provided with shallow impresary holiowsin thefbaco'f the moldedtiles.

One ofthelongitudinaledges of the plate a is, provided at intervals with cranked flanges a to form an interrupted; rebate or channel; c for molding the woustomary lljp'or projectionby which the tiles are mounted in place on ,a roof; the interruptions 0 correspond With the lines'of division between-them:

dividual tilesinthejmold, so illlltltllB diVld-J make clean cuts through the length of one-tile from anotherj 1 V H l At the ends of th'e pattern plate a and also tiling to separate a ifdesired atthe 'center,t her'e are provided raised guide surfaces (Z sland (1 for example, consist of'trans'verse j bars secured in place as shown by bolts "d These guide surfaces are curvedsimilarlyto' the;

plate, and their" Whichmay,

molded tiles; they'act to support'the striker by hich the ;,Hia terial is v e filling the mold and serve to stiffen the plate sarylto provide fixed' ends for that purpose. The" central transverse-bar (5 two halves," thereby reducing the labor 'of cut-i ting by'knivesl,

-. The, molding plate 'a l i f ijlyycdi 7 05,4 e s lg i e surfaces structe d a's ajst'e'el pr'essingi'for ex mpiepr 16,011; 18 {gauge;

, c When used, serves alsojtodi'vide up'the molded tiling into d a? may"bezpress'edintegral with themolding surface as ShOWn in Figure '9, instead of being attached, as described; above;

e iew e e 'r d -I'Th P e e i alwea'ringistripf 9.

longitudinally reinforced by stiffening angle bars n parallel to the edges, as well as by the cranked flange a.

The pallets or molding plates are adapted to be inserted between two parallel rails such as angle-irons e e, which are suitably framed together as by cross-braces f f, with their extremities f riveted to the rails e. The top edge of each of the side rails e e conforms withthe raised surfaces cl d of the molding plate a, the latter with its raised surfaces at d and thefixed longitudinal rails 'e together forming an open mold.

In one of the rails e there are inserted pegs 70 (see Figure 4) which pass upwards through holes 70 in the molding plate a to form the usual holes required in roofing tiles for nailing down; the flanged edge a of the plate rests upon the horizontal portions of these pe s 70. Upon the other-rail 6 there are provi ed horizontal studs 8 upon which the opposite edge of the plate rests, "this edge being 7 fitted with the stiffening anglebar n previlongitudinally. Q

ously mentioned;

Beneath the raised guide surfaces (Z at the ends of the plate a there are fitted blocks 0, for example of wood, which are adapted to locate the pallet plates in correct position In placing the pallet between the guide'rails, the Wood blocks 0 are fitted over and the frame, the inward sides of the blocks 0 being tapered as seen in Figure 3 in order to draw the parts into correct position. When the tiles have been molded and the plate a is removed for the drying or hardening of the tiles, as hereafter explained, the wood blocks 0 enable the plates to be stacked upon Figure 10) with a suitable purpose the under surfaces of the wood blocks may be curved concavely to agree with the curvature of the underlying molding plate,

As shown, these wood blocks 0 have parts cut away as at m Figure 5, to form hand holes for facilitating the liftin of the pallet plates.

' They may also be provi ed with socket-holes carryinga pairof 0 (see Figure 5) in their lower faces, the ends of theplates a being fitted with projections, for example nuts 1), at corres onding positions, in order to secure the stac ed allets against movement during transfer, ryingor hardening.

v The frame composed of the rails e and their cross-braces f f resting onthe cross bars g of the open-topped table A, may be subjected to a vibratory jigging action with the object ofrconsolidating the cementitious matter in the mold and settlingit, into the corners and edges. For this pur ose, I have illustrated acam shaft h extending along the table beneath the mold, the shaft being driven by any convenient means such as belt pulleys h and cams ii which engage tappets j secured to the'lower sides of the end outside the end cross braces f of,

cross-braces P. In the cross bars g nearest to the cams there are mounted steady-pegs g which pass through clearance holes 6 in the rails e 6; these pegs g serve as guides for the frame during its jigging movements. The cams are preferably provided each with two spiral rises, the diameter corresponding to the full lift of one cam being set at ninety degrees relatively to that of the other cam; the opposite ends of the mold are therefore raised alternately at equal intervals, with four lifts in each revolution of the cam shaft. The amount of rise and fall of the ends of the frame may be about one-third of the lift of the cams; thus the frame and mold do not fall on to the contour of the cam, but are arrested by the cross bars 9 of the table. Further, between the fall of one end of the frame and the rise of the other end, there will be an interval or period of rest, resulting in an even action throughout the entire mold, of

which the center part is lifted twice as often or tamping can be carried out by hand or otherwise before the material in the mold is leveled off by means of a strickle or straight edge in the well known wa The surplus material thus removed can be caught bf; a pan ;2 mounted in the lower part of the ta le, from which pan the operator takes the material for filling the mold.

I also provide knives for dividing up the length of tiling into sections or single units of the desiredwidth; these knives are preferably mounted upon the color-box usually employed for coating the tiles with the de As shown in Figures sired coloring matter. 6 and 7, the color-box Z is provided on its lower face with the re uisite number of knives m for dividing up t e lengths of molded tilin the color-box sliding transversely across t e mold, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 6; the edges of the knives m are curved to agree with the section of the plate a, and the tops of the rails e are notched as at m at the points where the knives pass through them." As the color-box is brought across the mold, the leading point of the knife cuts completely through the thickness of the tiling, the color-box being guided over" the curved palletfor example by rollers e in conjunction vwith similarly curved guide rails 1 and a tail rod Z in conjunction with a fixed roller 1. The color-box has the, usual'wire gauze g at its base, through which the color can be worked by hand upon the molded tiles, atra-yz being provided to prevent waste of color when the box is. returned to its initial position. e if i The pallet or molding plate a with the completely formed tiles is then removed and stacked upon the previously-filled plates (1 as shown in Figure 10, so that the drying,

of thetiles can be'-effected,the plates (2 thus vtaking the place of 1 the customary drying -.supporting the stacked plates with intermedi ate air spaces above the molded tiles, secure the plates against movement by the engagement of their socket-holes 0 with the projections 39 upon the underlying plates,

WVhen sufficiently dried: or hardened, the tiles are removedfrom the plate and stacked for maturing. v a v.

The number of tiles molded at each opera; tion may be varied by employing molding plates ofdif'ferent length, or by altering the number and position of the cutting blades. Foriexample, insteadof forming. six tiles of standard width, the same pattern plate may be used to form four closing tiles each of width equal to one-an'd-a-half ordinary tiles, by substituting an alternative cutting device withcone blademat the middle-of each half of the'plate, as-illustrated in Figure 8. This figure likewise illustrates a double cutting blade t t at the center of the underside of the color-box, such double blade being intended to cut out a. narrowtransverse strip from the middle ofthe length of tiling, and rendering the provision of the central raised sur face all unnecessary. The removal of the central cut-out strip also facilitatesthe liftin of r the tile sections from themold. v

The inventionis not limitedito the manufacture of cement tiles, butmay be applied to the production ofclay tiles and the like, in which case the molded tilesafter drying may be burned "in a kiln of any suitable type.

Having thus described my invention, what Iv claim is 1. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, a

mold adapted to form a plurality of'tiles at one operation, and means movable acrosstlie top of said mold for dividing up the molded tiling before removal from said mold] 2. In the.manufactureofroofing; tiles, a composite mold comprising" abot'tom plate, end closures carried by said bottom plate, and parallel guides between which said bottom plate can be fitted, said guides constituting side closures. 1

3. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, the combination of a of said molding pallet, and means for arresting the entrance of said pallet between said guides when saidraised surfaces are level mold-support, parallel guides secured upon said support, atmolding pallet adapted to be inserted between said guides, raised surfaces carried by the ends of parallel guide gate widthof a plurality oftiles, said 'plate having transverse impressions adapted to a form hollows incthe molded tiles, raised sur-.

faces at the ends of saidiplate, and reinforcing members extending-along:saidplate on a .70

the opposite face to said raised surfaces.

5. In the manufactureof roofing tiles, the I comblnation of a mold having illllllldlvlded interior space of length corresponding to the 1y lifting and lowering the opposite ends alternately of said mold from port to cause settling'of the material in said mold, said lifting and lowering means allowing both ends of saidmold to rest upon said supportbetween successive periods .oflifting and lowering.

6. In the manufacture of roofingtilespthe combination of a mold-support-, afpa-ir of parallel guides resting upon said support,

means for locating said guides upon said supa port whilepermitting them to be lifted there- 1 and to said supaggregate width'ofxapluralityiof tiles, a sup- I port for said mold, andmeansfor periodicala so pallet adapted to be I I pallet forms the bottom, a cam-shaft extend a ing longitudinally beneath said mold, and a 7 pair of cams upon sa1dcam-shaft,said cams alternately raising the opposite ends of said guides and moldto' cause settling of the ma terial in said mold. a y

7 Int-he manufacture of roofi'ng'tiles, the

combination of a multiple-tile mold, a colorbox [for i-distributing themold'ed tiling, andknives'carried by the] coloring matter upon 'underside'of said color box,csaid knives serving to divide upthe molded tiling into sections when; said color box-is'movedzinto ope erative position above said mold. p

8. In the manufacture of roofing, tiles, a mold for lengthsof tiling corresponding to a plurality of'single tiles,comprising a pair of..

parallel guide rails, a. pallet plate adapted'to' fit down between said rails,.and-.raised sur-v faces carried by the-ends. of; height of said surfaces abovesaid pallet cor-' said pallet, the 1 responding to the depth ofv said pallet below the top edges of said rails and to the thickness of the tiling to be molded. I s 9. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, a mold for lengths of tiling corresponding to a plurality of single tiles, comprising a pair ing said rails at a fixed distance apart, a pallet plate adapted to fit between said rails,-

pallet corresponding to the depth of said palrails, cross-bracesconnecti a 7 means carried by said rails for limiting the pallet between said rails, and

let below the top edges of said rails when said I I entrancedimiting means operate.

10. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, a molding pallet comprising a stamped metal plate of len th corresponding to the aggre-H gatewidth 0 a plurality of tiles, means for reinforcing said plate both longitudinally and transversely, said reinforcing means including transverse raised surfaces at the ends of said plate, spacer blocks beneath the ends of said plate, and complementary means upon the upper surfaces of the ends of said plate and the lower surfaces of said spacer blocks for locating one pallet plate upon another when stacked.

11. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, a molding pallet comprising a stamped metal plate of length corresponding to the aggregate width of a plurality of tiles, said plate having transverse impressions adapted to form hollows in the molded tiles, raised surfaces at the ends of said plate, and a cranked flange extending at intervals along one edge of said plate, the interruptions in said flange corresponding to the lines of division between individual tiles.

12. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, a

molding pallet comprising'a stamped metal plate of length corresponding to the aggregate width of a plurality of tiles, said plate having transverse impressions adapted to form hollows in the molded tiles, raised surfaces at the ends of said plate, means for forming projections at the heads of the tiles along one edge of said plate, and means for forming nailing holes adjacent to said projections.

13. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, a mold for lengths of tiling corresponding to a plurality of single tiles, comprlsing a pair of parallel guide rails, crossbraces connecting said rails at a fixed distance apart, a pallet plate adapted to fit between said rails, means carried by said rails for limiting the entrance of said pallet between said rails, a cranked flange extending along one edge of said plate, said plate having a longitudinal series of apertures adjacent to said cranked flange, and said apertures adapted to fit over vertical members carried by said entrance limiting means, said vertical members forming nailing holes through the molded tiles.

14. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, a mold comprising a transversely curved pallet plate, raised surfaces of similar curvature extending across the ends and middle of said plate, and parallel guides between which said plate can be fitted, said raised surfaces and guides delimiting at their top edges a transversely curved area to which said mold can be leveled off.

15. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, a molding pallet of length corresponding to the aggregate width of a plurality of tiles, and means for reinforcing said plate both longitudinally and transversely, said reinforcing means including a cranked flange, said flange extending along one edge of said plate with a central interruption correspond ing to a line of division between individual tiles.

r 16. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, a molding pallet of length corresponding to the aggregate width of a plurality of tiles, and means for reinforcing said plate both longitudinally and transversely, said reinforcing means including a cranked flange ex tending at intervals along one edge of said plate, the interruptions in said cranked flange corresponding to the position of the transverse edges of individual tiles.

17. In the manufacture of roofing tiles, a molding pallet of length corresponding to the aggregate width of a plurality of tiles, and means for reinforcing said plate both'longitudinally and transversely, said reinforc ng means including a cranked flange extending at intervals along one edge of said plate, the interruptions in said cranked flange comprising surfaces co-planar with the body of the the plate, said co-planar surfaces being connected to said cranked flanged by oblique walls.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alfix my signature.

FREDERICK ALFRED WILSON. 

